Photo: Keisha Lance Bottoms at a campaign event in Marietta, Georgia, on October 17, 2026. Elijah Nouvelage / Getty Images.
POLITICS NEWS
NBC News projected on Election Night, November 3, that Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won Georgia’s governor’s race, defeating Republican Rick Jackson. The projection marks a potential historic shift for the state and a major moment for Atlanta, where Bottoms served as mayor from 2018 to 2022.
The result is not yet certified. Statewide results are still being counted, and Georgia’s official election results remain the authority for the final outcome. NBC News’ call is a projection, not a certified result.
According to NBC News’ report by Adam Edelman, Bottoms is the first woman and the first Black person elected governor of Georgia. She is also the first Black woman elected governor in the United States.
A projected change in Georgia leadership
NBC News’ projection puts Bottoms on course to succeed Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who is term-limited. If confirmed by the official count, the result will also shift the governor’s office to Democrats for the first time in 24 years.
Georgia has become a closely watched battleground in federal elections. At the state level, however, Democrats had not elected a governor since 1998, NBC News reported. Bottoms’ projected win would mark a significant change in the state’s political leadership.
The call follows a competitive race against Jackson, a healthcare executive who entered politics as a first-time candidate. NBC News reported that Jackson spent more than $100 million of his own money on his campaign.
Bottoms’ Atlanta record returns to the spotlight
Bottoms served as Atlanta’s mayor from 2018 to 2022. Her term unfolded during the COVID-19 pandemic and a period of social unrest, and her record as mayor became a focus of Republican criticism during the governor’s race.
Bottoms did not run for re-election as mayor in 2021. NBC News reported that Republican attacks on her statewide campaign emphasized her leadership during those difficult years. Her move from City Hall to the governor’s office connects this statewide result directly to Atlanta’s recent civic history.
For city residents, the projection is also a moment to consider how a governor’s office can shape state priorities that affect Atlanta and communities across Georgia. The final result, and the policies that follow, depend on the official count and the incoming administration.
Affordability and the economy shaped the campaign
Bottoms emphasized affordability and economic issues, according to NBC News. In the campaign’s later weeks, her advertisements criticized Jackson’s past support for data center construction and connected him to President Donald Trump, whose approval ratings were low in Georgia, the report said.
Jackson had compared himself to Trump during the Republican primary. He later shifted toward presenting himself as aligned with Kemp, NBC News reported. In their only general-election debate, Bottoms criticized Jackson for saying he wanted to be Trump’s favorite governor.
The candidates also addressed the 2020 presidential election. Jackson declined during the primary to say who won, then acknowledged Joe Biden’s victory before the general election, according to NBC News.
A campaign with statewide and national backing
Bottoms campaigned alongside Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, who was also on the ballot this year. NBC News reported that Ossoff held “United for Georgia” rallies with Bottoms and that his campaign transferred millions of dollars to the Democratic Party of Georgia’s coordinated campaign.
She also received support from prominent Democratic figures. Former President Barack Obama appeared in an endorsement video, while Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Sen. Raphael Warnock campaigned for her in Georgia, NBC News reported.
The race also followed a divided Republican primary. Jackson defeated Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who had Trump’s endorsement, in a June runoff. Jones did not publicly support Jackson afterward, according to NBC News.
What happens next
NBC News made its projection on the night of November 3. Statewide counting is still underway, so the result remains unofficial until Georgia’s election process is complete. The Georgia Secretary of State’s election results page is the official source for updates and certified results.
Final certified vote totals were not available for this report. No specific vote percentages are included because results were still changing on Election Night.
Atlanta Wave TV is not credentialed and is not attending election events. This report is based on public information, including NBC News’ projection and reporting. For more Atlanta-area coverage, visit the Atlanta Wave TV newsroom.
